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Today is an exciting day for gamers everywhere. As you may have seen live with millions of others across the world, just moments ago we introduced PlayStation 4 (PS4), our next-generation console that will deliver breakthrough gaming experiences for our fans starting this holiday season.

PlayStation 4 is centered on all of you – the gamers. It redefines rich and immersive gameplay with powerful graphics and speed, intelligent personalization, deeply integrated social capabilities, and innovative second-screen features. When we designed PlayStation 4, we focused on building an architecture that will allow the greatest game developers in the industry to push boundaries and dig deep within their imaginations to create the most immersive and unique games for you to enjoy.

The future of PlayStation is all about great games and entertainment, and at PlayStation Meeting 2013, we brought some of the brightest and most creative minds from the development community on stage to unveil the games that will define PS4. A partial initial lineup for PlayStation 4 includes first-party games from Guerilla Games (Killzone: Shadow Fall), Sucker Punch (inFamous Second Son), Evolution Studios (Driveclub), and Japan Studio (Knack), as well as titles from our partners such as Activision/Bungie (Destiny), Blizzard Entertainment (Diablo III), Capcom (Deep Down), and Ubisoft (Watch_Dogs). PlayStation also reinforced its commitment to self-publishing and the independent development community by having Jonathan Blow onstage who gave a sneak peek of his upcoming title The Witness. Finally, the incredible minds at Media Molecule and Quantic Dream gave glimpses of their conceptualization process and the future of gameplay with some remarkable footage. We only scratched the surface at the event, and will have many more exciting titles to come.

With so much amazing content in development for PlayStation 4, we want to give our fans every opportunity to check out virtually any PS4 game when it becomes available. In the future, when a gamer sees a title of interest in PlayStation Store, they can immediately start playing a portion of the actual game.

Our next generation console will change the way you interact with friends while you play. PlayStation 4 lets you instantly share images and videos of your favorite gameplay moments on Facebook with a single press on the DUALSHOCK 4 controller's "share" button. You can also broadcast while you play in real-time through Ustream, allowing friends to comment or jump into your game in new ways. Be sure to check out the post from Shu Yoshida, WWS President, for his thoughts on DUALSHOCK 4 and the "share" features.

With PlayStation 4 we also want you to access your games quicker than ever before. PS4's "suspend mode" eliminates the load time on your saved game and allows you to immediately return to where you left off by pressing the power button. PlayStation 4's background downloading and updating capability also allows you to immediately play digital titles as they download, or update the system when the hardware is powered off.

Leveraging PlayStation Network with Gaikai technology, PS4 will make it easier for you to play your favorite games and access content wherever you are. We see PS Vita as the ultimate companion device for PS4 and it's our long-term vision to make most PS4 games playable on PS Vita, so you can bring your favorite games from the big-screen TV to your PS Vita over Wi-Fi. We're also introducing a "PlayStation App" for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices that acts as a second screen, allowing for unique gameplay possibilities such as viewing maps during an adventure game or remotely watching friends play during an epic battle-right from a smartphone or tablet.

With so much to look forward to in 2013, I want to take a moment to thank you for following PlayStation through our incredible journey and allowing us to bring the most advanced hardware, software and networked gaming experiences into millions of homes around the world. We're excited about this next chapter, and will continue to provide you with more details about PlayStation 4 and the broader PlayStation ecosystem, as we get closer to launch this holiday season.

Considering the hoopla around the event, they really didn't disclose much of anything. I figure E3 will really showcase both the next XBOX and PS4 for proper comparison. Since both are likely released around the same time this time around, it'll be quite interesting how they'll fare.

Considering the hoopla around the event, they really didn't disclose much of anything. I figure E3 will really showcase both the next XBOX and PS4 for proper comparison. Since both are likely released around the same time this time around, it'll be quite interesting how they'll fare.

agreed - personally - I'm a PS kinda guy - I prefer my online gaming without monthly bills - but who knows if that will change with PS4 or not...

agreed - personally - I'm a PS kinda guy - I prefer my online gaming without monthly bills - but who knows if that will change with PS4 or not...

Ironically, for no good reason I have always been an XBOX guy but have no allegiance.

I bought an original XBOX when the PS2 was further along the path and almost EOL. I got a really good deal on it with a set of great games included. Had to replace the DVD drive on it which irked me. ($80 self installed...for a DVD drive!)

Later, I got a really good bundle deal on a XBOX 360 when the PS3 was still super expensive. I did not have a HDTV at that time, so the BluRay capability had no weight on me. A few months later I did buy an HDTV and had I purchased it before, I likely would have ended up with the PS3 simply because of the BluRay player.

I have been incredibly pleased with the 360 and will once again evaluate both offerings when the time comes. There is no way I'm touching any of these consoles within the first year, though. Way too many issues, usually.

XBOX Live is a polished offering that I do not mind paying for at all (I usually get the discounted 12 month cards for $39.99...that is hardly a cost). Everytime I see PSN on a friend's console I'm not much impressed. I guess you get what you pay for.

(To be fair, I have spent little time on PSN to objectively rate it...let's just say that the subscription fee for LIVE is not something that'll make or break it for me...the fact that I'm a Forza Motorsport addict likely will have me leaning XBOX anyway )

We've been hearing for a couple of years that Apple is the biggest threat to the console market... time will tell... perhaps eventually, but until they end up shipping tablets with much, MUCH faster processors, I don't see it. We have also not seen a single add-on controller for tablets as yet - using the tilt-screen as a controller is painful at best, ludicrously hard to control and SUPER expensive to drop.. not a good thing thing at all.. PS-Vita was somewhere in between... and I don't see MS or Sony being stopped by any phone/tablet yet... 3-5 years out.. maybe... but I don't think so *yet*.... time will tell...

We've been hearing for a couple of years that Apple is the biggest threat to the console market... time will tell... perhaps eventually, but until they end up shipping tablets with much, MUCH faster processors, I don't see it. We have also not seen a single add-on controller for tablets as yet - using the tilt-screen as a controller is painful at best, ludicrously hard to control and SUPER expensive to drop.. not a good thing thing at all.. PS-Vita was somewhere in between... and I don't see MS or Sony being stopped by any phone/tablet yet... 3-5 years out.. maybe... but I don't think so *yet*.... time will tell...

I honestly don't see Apple taking over. Playing games on a tablet or iPod is way different from using a console. Apple stuff is great for the kids, but I think the gamers market for consoles will continue head strong.

My kids (5 and 8), actually enjoy the 360 more than iPods. Especially the Kinect where they jump around and what not. The 360 and PS3 set the standards for future gaming. As long as they both continue with improving their platforms, Apple will not succeed them.

The Power core used in the Xbox 360 and the PS3 was originally developed in a joint venture between Sony, Toshiba and IBM. While development was still ongoing, IBM–which retained the rights to use the chip in products for other clients–contracted with Microsoft to use the new Power core in their console. This arrangement left Sony engineers in an IBM facility unknowingly working on features to support Sony’s biggest competitor, and left Shippy and other IBM engineers feeling conflicted in their loyalties.

Microsoft is the agile hare to Sony’s tortoise. Individual Microsoft engineers come across as having more initiative–and a certain cockiness to go with it–but their desires are less grandiose than Kutaragi’s and they seem to have a better idea what they want. Microsoft is focused on software and services. They want simpler hardware than Sony’s Cell processor and they’re flexible in cutting features as long as they make their intended ship date. Because they’re developing a processor more similar to an off-the-shelf PowerPC chip, Microsoft is able to put development kits in the hands of game developers a year and a half before Sony. Because they control their manufacturing risks, they’re able to put final hardware on shelves a year before Sony.